University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA

The Darden Center’s primary function is to create large gathering areas that will enhance the MBA and Executive Education student’s sense of community. The Darden Center provides three major opportunities for student interaction. The student lounge responds to today’s MBA student’s desire to have a more relaxed, less formal setting for interaction. The dining room offers a wide variety of settings. For large groups, and open setting serves 400 attendees sitting at 10 person round tables wit table cloths and china. This room, with its moveable walls, can also be subdivided for groups of 30, 60, or 90. Diners order off a menu for dinner, while enjoying a buffet offering at breakfast and lunch. The auditorium offers a space fore 480 people, acoustically comparable to a performing arts theater, and provides a beautiful setting for a wide range of uses. These uses include lectures, guest speakers, small concerts, web casts, and movies with surround sound. This space has proven so popular it is now used by the entire UVA campus community.

Completion: 2003
Size: 308,000 gsf
Cost: $34,920,000